Without you
by PeachyQ73
Summary: Kaname has disappeared and Zero is too weak to go on any missions, but the association has sent him on one anyway. What is going to happen to Zero? One shot, yaoi...yadda, yadda. R/R. Please enjoy


**A/N: **Please read and review. No flames unless you are going to make s'mores. Criticism is always welcome. Please review if you read this story. Yuki does not exist in this story. Sorry Yuki fans. It's not that I hate or dislike her; there just isn't any place for her in this story. This is a one shot. Please enjoy.

**A special thank you to my beta-reader: **Brookie cookie 17

**Warning: **This story contains major OOC'ness. If you're not into yaoi or male/male sexual relationships, please don't read any further by pressing the back button.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own VK, or the characters. My plot bunnies own this story but they love borrowing Kaname and Zero for their own stories. I own nothing but my plot bunnies. All honor for the original story and characters goes to Hino-Sama, bless her wonderful and creative heart.

**Summery:** Kaname has disappeared and Zero is too weak to go on any missions, but the association has sent him on one anyway. What is going to happen to Zero?

**Without you**

'_I'm sorry Zero. It's no longer safe for us to be together. I want you to know that I love you and always will. Please, don't come looking for me. You will not find me. Always remember that I am doing this to keep you safe._

_Love always Kuran, Kaname._

Zero couldn't believe what he was reading. He knew that the council was giving Kaname a hard time, just as the association was giving him a hard time, but it's not like Kaname to quite when things get hard. What was that saying again? 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going?' Well he guessed he had Kaname figured all wrong. His motto seemed to be 'When the going gets tough, the weak runs away.'

Until now, he never imagined Kaname Kuran to be weak or to run away when things get tough until now, so that's why Zero was baffled by this development. Damn bastard. As much as Zero would love to throw the note into the burning fire that is crackling in the fireplace, he just can't. It will be the last thing Kaname will ever give him. Damn, why did he have to fall in love with that pureblood asshole?

For the next several months, Zero took more dangerous jobs for the association; almost like suicide runs. On his off times, he would see if he could find any clues to his missing, elusive, and runaway lover. So far, he found nothing.

Slowly Zero begun to get weaker and weaker, because without Kaname's blood, he can't keep up his strength since he can't digest the tablets and being mated means he can only take from his mate. He could take blood from another source, but it won't satisfy the need for blood, nor will it really nourish him. Only Kaname could feed him now.

Kaname was supposed to get him some better-improved blood tablets, but he left before fulfilling that promise. After several months of starving and the abuse his body has taken, he should just stay in bed, but he is being sent on another assignment by the association.

When he gets there, a couple of hours later, he finds the den of level 'E's that he was sent to destroy. "Mother, Father, I'm sorry. I'm too weak to deal with this group and I won't make it back out alive. This will be the second time that I will have failed you. The first time, I lost you. This time I will be coming home to you. For this I am happy. Forgive my weakness and embrace me when I see you again." Zero prayed before disturbing the den of 'E's.

(Narrative POV on Kaname)

It killed him to write that note to Zero saying good-bye. He knew the threat was growing and becoming more dangerous for Zero if they stayed together. He was struggling day after day, month after month without Zero. Writing that letter may have killed him because he was saying goodbye, but if Zero was killed because he didn't do anything to keep him safe, then his soul would wither away to nothingness.

He said goodbye, but there has never been a day that he didn't see his love. Kaname had become an accomplished stalker by now; Zero never knowing that he was being followed. He could see his love was getting weaker and sicker. Why was this happening? It's as if he wasn't taking the new tablets he had sent to Zero. Was he so hurt and angry that now he was slowly trying to starve himself to death?

On this particular night, it was obvious that Zero should have stayed in bed as he was way too weak to do anything, but his hearing picked a phone call and Zero's side of the conversation. It was enough to know that he was being sent on another mission. Why? Could they not tell that he was too sick and too weak for this? He was about to approach Zero when it dawned on him that they had already reached Zero's destination. Kaname could feel it. It was a den of 'E's and Zero was sure to get himself killed.

Then he heard Zero's voice in a low whisper. It was a prayer to his parents.

"_Mother, Father, I'm sorry. I'm too weak to deal with this group and I won't make it back out alive. This will be the second time that I will have failed you. The first time, I lost you. This time I will be coming home to you. For this I am happy. Forgive my weakness and embrace me when I see you again."_

NO! That won't happen. Zero is **NOT** going to die tonight by a group of 'E's … not when it could be…his fault for leaving to begin with. He refocused his eyes to find that Zero had already moved and started killing the vampires he was sent to kill. The fight sounded nasty as Kaname moved towards the fight.

When he arrived on scene, Zero was standing face to face with the only vampire left. Not another wannabe dust bag, but another pureblood. Zero's gun was aimed for the heart and Zero was obviously barely standing up on his own feet, albeit, leaning up against the wall where a trail of blood was running down.

Kaname was terrified. Could he get there in time to save his love and try to mend his mistake? Kaname intercepts the other vampires' attention and begins their own battle. While the two purebloods fight between them, Zero is too stunned seeing that Kaname was there fighting his battles. He was angry at the interference but found that he was quickly loosing his strength as he was bleeding out, profusely. He never saw how the battle ended or who won, since he lost his own battle to stay conscious.

The next thing Zero saw were his parents looking at him with worry. "Mom… Dad...?" is all he can say as his emotions overwhelm him into speechlessness. The three embrace each other for a long time and Zero has neglected to notice that there was another couple there, watching the exchange.

After a long while of silent tears and joyful hugs and kisses, Zero finally realizes they were not alone. "Mom, Dad, who are they?" Zero asked his parents.

"They are the Kurans, Juri and Haruka. They are Kaname's parents. They have come to see you." his mother answered.

"His… his parents?" Zero asked, shocked to see his mates' parents greeting him here.

"Yes Zero-kun. We have been watching very closely to what has been happening down there with you and our son, Kaname. We know that you have been hurt very deeply without any understanding about why he left. We ask that you listen to what we have to say, please." Juri said.

Zero would have loved to say no, but the look in his own mothers' eyes just wouldn't allow him to refuse. After taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly he responds, "Ok, fine. I will listen to what you have to say…" He pauses to look at his parents again and sees the usual reproving look he gets when his heart wasn't into the training from Master Yagari. "And I promise to keep an open mind about what you have to say." Zero responded.

Juri and Haruka nodded and escorted Zero into a room he hadn't noticed before. In it the only things he saw were three chairs. Obviously, they were all going to be sitting together. Haruka escorted Zero to the center chair, were he took the seat on the left and Juri to the right. Zero wasn't comfortable being in the center of two vampires he just met. It doesn't matter that they were dead.

Which brought up a question to mind? Since there were vampires in heaven, do they still need to drink blood? The question made him uneasy and Juri sensed his nervousness. "Zero dear, what's the matter?" she asked. 'Shit, I wish I had thought of this before accepting their invitation to talk somewhere in private.' he thought to himself.

"Do we still need to drink blood up here?" he asked feeling even more nervous at this moment.

Juri and Haruka looked at each other in surprise, before Haruka answered his question. "No Zero, we don't need blood here. Here we are all the same. Not human, not vampires, but souls without bodies." Haruka answered. Zero sat there and thought for a minute before nodding his head in understanding. It made sense after all. There would be no need for blood if there was no body to feed.

Juri smiled again before she started to speak. "What Haruka and I wanted to talk to you about is Kaname, our son. Before we start talking there are some things we would like to show you. Look straight ahead and watch." she instructed.

Right in front of him was an image of Kaname in a room filled with people he barely recognized as the Vampire Senate that was in control of vampire society. The picture wasn't moving, everything was still, but yet it looked weird to Zero. Almost like it was a 3D movie about to play and they could interact with the characters on the screen at the same time. It was kind of creepy to him.

"What's this?" Zero asked.

"What you are going to see is what Kaname has been dealing with in his life that led him to write the note to you saying good bye. I believe it's important that you know." Juri said in response to Zero's question. Before Zero could say or do anything else, the picture started to move and Kaname's voice could be heard.

-On screen-

"Gentlemen, what's so important that you demanded my attention?" Kaname demanded.

"Please forgive us Kaname-Sama, it was not our intention to be demanding, but the matter at hand that must be discussed is the matter of your relationship with that ex-human/hunter, Kiryu, Zero. We have tried to talk to you about the importance of finding a proper mate to conceive and give birth to an heir by. We have suggested plenty of willing female purebloods for you to mate with. We have tried suggesting keeping your pet on the side when you need to scratch your itch with him. You have refused everything we suggested. I'm sorry Kaname Sama, we have very little choice. It has come down to this. If you continue to refuse to mate with a pureblood female and conceive an heir by her because of your infatuation with the ex-human, we will have no choice but to have him killed, there by removing the problem altogether. The choice is yours. We will give you until tomorrow night to be rid of him if you wish to save his life. Next month you will marry Kato, Cho." Ichio said matter of factly.

Kaname was enraged at the threat being made against his one true love; unfortunately, he couldn't do anything since the whole building was charmed to prevent the murder of any of the members seated here now.

He cursed himself for the stupid, blind, fool he was, knowing that it would come down to this and believing that no one would dare to do anything against him. He very calmly stood up and walked right out of the chamber room they were all in. He had to do something to resolve this problem, but 24 hours was not enough time to fix the problem. He was going to have to say goodbye to Zero for now and pray that when the storm passes he could convince Zero to return to his side.

Kaname sat at his desk that night, tears, free falling down his cheeks at he wrote his goodbye note to Zero.

'_I'm sorry Zero. It's no longer safe for us to be together. I want you to know that I love you and always will. Please, don't come looking for me. You will not find me. Always remember that I am doing this to keep you safe._

_Love always Kuran, Kaname._

-Back in the room with Zero, Juri, and Haruka-

The note looked all too familiar to Zero, tears running down his face. Now some of the smudged letters in the note Kaname wrote to him made sense. Kaname had been crying when he wrote the note and some of the tears landed on the paper.

He didn't understand something though. Kaname had a month to fix this problem with the Senate assholes, but months passed by. What had happened to prevent Kaname from fixing this thing and more importantly, did Kaname marry that pureblood whore? But before Zero could ask those questions, the picture started to move again. Zero watched in fascination to what he was seeing, questions being answered before he had a chance to form the questions in his head, questions he didn't even know he needed answers to until he already had them.

By the time the 'this is Kaname Kuran's life' flick was done, Zero's butt was really sore from sitting for so long. He had no more questions and all the understanding he needed for was why had Kaname left, and all of the other unanswered questions he had been asking for a month.

There was only one more question he needed to ask of Kaname's parents. "Why would you show this to me? I'm dead now and can't do anything about any of this, except that I understand why Kaname did what he did." Zero asked.

Haruka smiled a very heart warming smile. "Because, my dear boy, you're not dead but in a coma instead. You have been for a while and it's time for you to wake up. Kaname has been waiting for you by your bedside faithfully. We showed these things to you so you would understand and forgive him for not finding another way to fix things. Honestly, there was no other way." Haruka answered honestly.

Zero nodded again in understanding and thanked them for what they have done for them. "Since I'm going to be heading back, is there anything you would like me to say to him?" Zero asked of the couple.

"Just tell him that we love him and are proud of him. He has chosen a fine mate." Juri said.

Zero was saddened at the last statement, 'Mate'. "So Kaname did marry her?" Zero asked, remembering Kaname had only one month before he was to marry that pureblood bitch, and it had been months since Kaname left.

"Zero, go back. Talk to Kaname and listen to what he has to say. Please believe him when you do." Juri pleaded him. Reluctantly Zero agreed.

Zero turned around to find his parents standing behind him. "We love you son and are both proud of you. We will always be here watching over you. Now, go back to Kaname. He's waiting for you." His father said, and at that, the world faded to nothingness again.

Slowly, Zero became aware of noises next to his head, like the sound of annoying beeping, stiffness, and pain in odd spots in his body. The next thing he was aware of was Kaname voice, begging him to wake up. "Zero, please wake up. Even if you never want to see me again, I would be so much happier if I knew you were alive somewhere in the world."

Zero couldn't make Kaname suffer any more then he obviously already had, so he tried to move his fingers that Kaname was holding on too. It took a great deal of effort, but he managed… barely.

Kaname's eye grew as wide as a golf ball at the slight squeeze of his hand. "Zero? Zero, was that you? Please, if that was you, please try to do it again?" Kaname pleaded. When Kaname's hand was squeezed again, a flare of a variety of emotions went through him. When his brain was back in functioning order, he called for the doctor. The doctor came in and checked up on him.

"Kaname Sama, Kiryu kun is going to be just fine. It will take some time for him to fully recover." the doctor said.

A couple of weeks later, Zero recovered enough to be able to go home. Now that they had some privacy, Kaname was ready to explain everything to Zero, and hopefully get him back.

Before Kaname could say anything, Zero simply said, "you don't need to explain anything Kaname, but I do have one question I do have to ask you. Did you marry that pureblood bitch, Kato, Cho?" Kaname couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"Zero, how did you know about her? No I didn't marry her; she ended up in some tragic accident that killed her. Zero, how…?"

It was Zero's turn to be surprised. "Did the senate find someone else for you to marry?" Zero asked.

"No Zero, they learned quickly not to try. Zero please tell me how you know this." Kaname pleaded him.

"Before I answer your question, I need to tell you something. You parents wanted me to tell you that they love you, and are proud of you, and have chosen a fine mate. Kaname, I don't understand. If you have not gotten married to anyone, why would they say you have a mate?" Zero asked.

Kaname was speechless. Zero saw his parents? His mouth kept flopping open and closed like a fish out of water, trying to get back to the water. Tears sprung to Kaname's eyes at the thought of the message Zero had delivered to him. Finally, Kaname was able to speak, but only barely. "Zero, you are my mate. The senate now recognizes us as a married couple."

Kaname hoped Zero wouldn't be angry, because he really loved the hunter, but he had done this without his permission. Kaname hurried to finish what he needed to say. "It's not yet official, since the license needs your signature still, but please don't be angry with me. Even if you don't sign, you are still the mate of my heart." Kaname finished, hoping it would be enough to pacify Zero.

It was Zero's turn to be speechless, so all he could do was nod. He couldn't speak yet. Kaname just looked at him, not knowing what Zero was agreeing too. "I hope that's a yes that you will sign, finalizing our marriage" Kaname said. Zero could only nod again, as tears formed and started to fall down Kaname's cheeks.

Hours later, Zero was lying down on the bed with his head pillowed on Kaname's chest as they both slept soundly.

_**The End**_


End file.
